Accra: ActionAid Ghana (AAG) has initiated a substantial project aimed at enhancing the resilience of rural communities in the Upper West and Savannah Regions against the challenges posed by the current climate crisis on their livelihoods and living conditions. The pound 1 million initiative, named 'Strengthening Community Resilience through Community Action Plans (CAPs),' intends to carry out 140 sub-projects across 110 communities in nine districts within these regions.
According to Ghana News Agency, the project is focused on improving access to water resources, developing irrigation infrastructure, and advancing afforestation and soil health. These efforts target eight districts in the Upper West Region and one district in the Savannah Region, specifically Wa Municipal, Wa East, Wa West, Nadowli-Kaleo, Lawra, Jirapa, Sissala East, Sissala West, and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba Districts. The project, set to last eleven months, is financed by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) under the European Union Ghana Agricultural Programme's (EUGAP's) Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH) project.
Speaking at the project's inception workshop, Mr. John Nkaw, AAG's Country Director, highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and children, emphasizing the importance of the CAPs project in tackling these challenges. The workshop aimed to clarify stakeholder roles and secure their commitment to the project's execution. Mr. Nkaw also mentioned that AAG has consistently implemented initiatives addressing climate change's effects on smallholder farmers, aligning with AAG's Strategic Priority in promoting a Green Economy and Resilient Livelihoods under its Country Strategic Paper VII, as well as contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Mr. Mathias Berthold, REACH Project Manager at GIZ, outlined that community action plans are fundamental to the REACH project's execution, having developed and supported over 200 plans in 14 districts in northwestern Ghana. He expressed optimism that the project's successful implementation would enhance the economic prospects of beneficiary communities, particularly through improved irrigation facilities.
Pognaa Fati Korey, Upper West Regional Coordinating Director, acknowledged the project's potential impact on local development and assured the Regional Coordinating Council's commitment to facilitating its successful implementation. Similarly, Mr. Ebenezer Amoah, Savannah Regional Coordinating Director, conveyed gratitude to AAG and GIZ for their intervention and emphasized the need for proactive measures to ensure the project's success.
Madam Abiba Nibaradun, Upper West Regional Programme Manager of AAG, detailed the project's scope, including drilling and rehabilitating 55 boreholes, constructing and rehabilitating ten irrigation facilities, and five dams. Additionally, the project aims to establish 40 forest restoration projects, enact byelaws for forest protection, form and train 22 community-based forest management committees, and implement 30 soil health measures.
Representatives from various agencies, including the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, Northern Development Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, and Forestry Commission, pledged their support for the successful execution of the CAPs project.
